This invention relates generally to display devices for processor-based systems.
A large number of processor-based systems have relatively limited input/output capabilities. For example, some handheld computer systems have no associated keyboard. Text entry may occur using a touch screen as one example. The user may enter data through an on-screen keyboard by touching the appropriate areas for each key-using a stylus or finger.
A number of other handheld computer devices including Internet tablets and personal digital assistants (PDAs) may have a need for better ways to facilitate data entry. Providing an on-screen-dedicated keyboard takes up an excessive amount of the available display space. This is especially so, since in many situations, no data entry may be required yet a portion of the display may be lost to accommodate the keyboard.
A user may wish to enter data into a dialog box or web page field. Thus, the user would like to see the dialog box and the keyboard at the same time. With many limited display screens, this is not possible. For example, there may be insufficient display space to enable data entry through the on-screen keyboard as well as to enable a clear view of the available information.
A number of devices include keyboards of sufficiently reduced size that data entry for text information is somewhat difficult to accomplish. In these cases as well, it may also be desirable to have a better way to enter textual data into processor-based systems.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to facilitate the entry of data without using a physical keyboard.